Sheltra Motorsports

Race Information: Event: Garden State ARCA 150 presented by American Red Cross, Sunday, August 15 at 1:00 p.m. Local Time Track: New Jersey Motorsports Park Qualifying: Saturday, August 14 at 4:30 p.m. Local Time; Track Length: 2.25 mile paved road course.

Last Time Out; Berlin (Mich.) Raceway: On the heels of a sixth place finish the week before in the Weis Markets 125 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Patrick Sheltra and his Sheltra Motorsports headed to Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, the site of the shortest track on the 2010 ARCA calendar. The Marne, Michigan racetrack also happens to be the site of Sheltra’s first career top-five in 2007. Unveiling a Dodge Charger for his fourth tango with the .4-mile oval, the team placed 10th in practice before drawing the very first position for qualifying. After starting 16th, Sheltra quickly roared through the stout field and found himself in the top-five by lap 50.

Just after halfway, Sheltra made the move on nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel for the top-spot. The Indiantown, Florida native controlled the field for 25 laps before sliding back to third with worn tires. A caution approaching 50 to go, allowed the chance for Sheltra to gain new grip but the ARCA pro ran out of laps despite having the fastest machine on the track. The team settled for second, tying their season-best performance. In April, Sheltra made a remarkable comeback from being tangled in the “Big One” to push the No. 22 of Dakoda Armstrong to victory and claim the runner-up spot.

One Year Ago At New Jersey Motorsports Park: After finishing 11th in his very first road course event at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sheltra was gambling on a better performance. With the guidance and wisdom of driver coach and former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ted Musgrave, Sheltra qualified his No. 60 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS eighth, stayed in the top-10 all race long and took the checkered flag in the seventh position.

Ready For Lefts & Rights: For the fifth time since 2001 the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards will compete on a road course. This weekend the highly diverse racing sanction will compete at the newly constructed (2008) New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) at the Thunderbolt Raceway in Millville, New Jersey. Sheltra, the NASCAR bound driver will make his fourth ever start at a road course in a stock car.

Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad; Three Outta Four Would Be Better: Despite his limited road racing skills, the 24-year old Sheltra has been able to maneuver two top-10 finishes in a row on a road course. Last September, Sheltra finished seventh in his second trip to NJMP. Earlier this year, Sheltra along with the rest of the ARCA Racing Series tour made the trip to Palm Beach (Fla.) International Raceway, where the driver of the No. 60 Sheltra & Son Construction Chevrolet was able to finish 10th, competing in his very first race in the rain.

Talk About Diversity: Two races ago, Sheltra and his Jon Wolfe-led Sheltra Motorsports team tackled Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a 2.5-mile triangle and finished sixth. Last weekend, the team headed to the smallest track on the circuit of Berlin (Mich.) Raceway where they muscled a second-place finish. This weekend the series returns to New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) for the second road course event of the year and finally, Sheltra treks back to his roots of dirt with a stop for the ARCA Racing Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

Sheltra has recorded a top-10 finish at each of these racecourses since his invasion into the ARCA Racing Series in 2007. Berlin (Mich.) Raceway also kicked off the start of the Bill France Four Crown, which is a separate title in itself where the driver with the best average finish of four selected race tracks will receive a bonus at the championship banquet in December.

After That Crown Too: With the Bill France Four Crown officially kicking off last weekend at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, Sheltra trails leader Joey Coulter by five points for a separate trophy compared to the ARCA Racing Series championship. The Bill France Four Crown consists of four differently configured race tracks, Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Illinois State Fairgrounds (dirt) and finally, Chicagoland Speedway at the end of the month. The driver with the best average finish of those four race tracks will receive a bonus at the championship banquet in December.

New Record Set; But Thirsty For More: While eclipsing his sixth top-five finish of the year at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, Patrick Sheltra now holds a new record for the number of finishes inside the top-five and top-10 for a full-season. In his previous three full-time seasons, Sheltra had posted a season high of four top-five finishes in 2009. Sheltra’s personal best overall season of nine top-10 finishes in 2008 was overtaken by his performance in the ARCA Berlin 200. Sheltra is hoping to expand his new personal record with eight races remaining this year.

Point’s Check: 12 races down, eight to go, Sheltra with the guidance of crew chief Jon Wolfe sits fourth in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings accumulating 2545 points and 60 markers behind current leader Craig Goess. The driver nicknamed “Mr. Showtime” is tied with Cunningham Motorsport’s Tom Hessert for the position. The 24-year old Sheltra also controls the fourth position in the ARS car owner standings also tied with Hessert’s owner Kerry Scherer. After the most recent ARCA event at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, Sheltra made up 70 points overall on the championship chase to then leader Justin Marks, who had a 130-point gap over the avid hunter entering the 12th contest of the year. Earlier this year, Sheltra held the top-spot for three consecutive races (Toledo, Michigan and Pocono) in a row after also sharing the top-spot with Parker Kligerman for one race (Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway) in 2009.

Nice Statistic; Superb Stats: By posting his 10th top-10 finish of the season last weekend at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, Sheltra is the only driver in the ARCA Racing Series to finish inside the top-10 in 10 of the 12 races completed thus far in 2010. Sheltra kicked off his strongest start to an ARCA season with a fifth place performance at Daytona, a 10th place performance at Palm Beach, a fourth place run at Salem Speedway, a seventh place outing at Texas Motor Speedway, his season-best second at ‘Dega, an eighth at Toledo Speedway, a fourth place run at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a third place outing in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway, a sixth place at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and most recently a second-place outing in the Berlin ARCA 200 at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway for round number 12.

Autographs Anyone?: After his duties at the track on Sunday morning, Sheltra is scheduled to participate in the on-track autograph session at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. local time.

Patrick Sheltra ARCA Career At-A-Glance: Entering Berlin, Sheltra has 78 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem (Ind.) Speedway (April 2009). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 15 top-fives and posted 31 top-10 finishes. A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway (April 2009) and Michigan International Speedway (June 2010) is Sheltra’s best time trials effort to date. He has controlled the ARCA field six times for 148 laps.

Wanna Come Along For The Ride? Marketing Partnerships Still Available: Multiple cost-effective marketing partnership packages are still available for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR seasons for Patrick Sheltra. Let Sheltra Motorsports show you how to find victory lane in more ways than one! For additional information on how to be apart of our winning organization, please contact Brandon Hinson (brandon@patricksheltra.com) or email marketing@patricksheltra.com.

Are You In The Know?: Patrick Sheltra and Sheltra Motorsports are proud to be apart of the Facebook (Official Patrick Sheltra Fan Page) and Twitter (@patricksheltra) cravings. If you have an account, join our club as the Sheltra Motorsports team drives towards winning the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship.

Vote Him Your Favorite Driver: Race fans can vote Patrick Sheltra as the 2010 ARCA Racing Series most popular driver by visiting ARCANation.com. From now until the end of the season, race fans can click on to ARCA’s official fan-related web site and vote once a day for their favorite ARCA Racing Series driver. The winner will be announced at the ARCA Racing Series Championship Awards Banquet in Covington, Kentucky this December. If you’re an ARCA Nation member your vote counts twice per day for one driver. If you’re a non-ARCA Nation member, your vote counts only once. Sign up today at ARCANation.com and vote for Patrick Sheltra!

Sheltra Motorsports, New Jersey Motorsports Park Pre-Race Quotes: Patrick Sheltra, driver / owner of the No. 60 Recycling Services / Ferguson Pipe Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

On Berlin (Mich.) Raceway: “It felt so good to have a run like we did last weekend at Berlin. I have to give a lot of the credit to the guys on this Sheltra Motorsports team. They are the ones that pour their heart and soul into making this program run, I’m just the lucky to sit behind the wheel. I have a feeling that our performance last weekend proved that you cannot count out Sheltra Motorsports for the championship.”

On New Jersey Motorsports Park: “Actually, I am looking forward to going back to New Jersey. It’s a neat place. I don’t have a lot of experience there, but we’ve always been real solid there and even were able to put together a top-10 run last year. The car we are taking was built by Sheltra Motorsports specifically for the road course events, so I’m hoping we can put together another comfortable finish.”

On The Possibility Of Three Straight Top-10s On A Road Course: “That’s something I would probably never have dreamed of (laughs). The road courses are no joke because they are just as important as the oval races. Luckily, I’ve concentrated a lot on the fundamentals that go along with road racing and I think it’s helped us overall as a team.”

On The Bill France Four Crown: “We’ve always been a contender for this championship inside of a championship. The finish at Berlin helped us get a good start at going for the Bill France Four Crown this year, we just have to get through New Jersey and see where we stand. If we have a top-10 run there, I’m confident that the races at Springfield (Illinois State Fairgrounds) and Chicagoland Speedway will aid us towards taking that honor.”

On Points: “To make up 70 points overall is huge. Everyone that we are chasing finished behind us last weekend and that’s what we have to do every week if we’re going to stay in the hunt. Obviously, the qualifying bonus points can make or break this championship and while I’m not expecting us to qualify inside the top-three this weekend, I think we can do some damage on the dirt tracks coming up in a couple weeks.”

PRIOR RESULTS:

Date Event Start Finish Laps Status

09/08 Loud Energy Drink 150 21 11 48/48 Running

09/09 South Jersey Trades 150 8 7 67/67 Running

The Garden State ARCA 150 presented by American Red Cross (67 laps / 150 miles) is the 13th of 20 events on the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule. The third ARCA event held at the New Jersey Motorsports Park is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, August 14 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. A final “happy hour” session has been etched in from 1:35 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Sunday, August 15 shortly after 1:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the weekend will be available through the BAS Racing Network in conjunction with the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

Fast Links:

Driver / Team: Patrick Sheltra on the web: PatrickSheltra.com

Sanction: ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards: ARCARacing.com

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 24-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Mooresville, North Carolina.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Sheltra Motorsports

Race Information: Event: Berlin ARCA 200; Saturday, August 7 at 8:30 p.m. Local Time Track: Berlin Raceway Qualifying: Saturday, August 7 at 5:00 p.m. Local Time; Track Length: .4-mile paved-oval.

Last Time Out; Pocono (Pa.) Raceway: After mounting a solid fourth place outing in the spring race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Patrick Sheltra and his Sheltra Motorsports team returned to the “Tricky Triangle” looking to improve on their finish. Unfortunately, the team was doomed with a series of obstacles from the start of the weekend. The Sheltra Motorsports team experienced engine issues following a 10th place qualifying effort on Friday afternoon.

Opting to change the motor forced the 24-year old Sheltra to start the 50-lap sprint from the tail end of the field. Charging in typical Sheltra fashion, the driver of the No. 60 Recycling Services / Ferguson Pipe Toyota Camry roared to the front only to hindered in the pits where the driver lost first and second gears in the transmission and trapped a lap-down following normal routine green flag pit stops. Thankfully, the team’s determination paid off as he was able to retain his lead lap status, thunder back through the field and capture his ninth top-10 finish of the season by crossing the line sixth.

Oh, What A Place: This weekend for the fourth time in his ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards career, Sheltra will visit Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, a tricky short track located in the western roots of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Despite its uncharacteristic short track features, Berlin is the home of Sheltra’s first career ARCA top-five of fourth registered in the summer of 2007.

From The Water To The Track; Glad To Have You Back: Sheltra Motorsports welcomes Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant who will serve as the primary marketing partner on the team’s No. 60 Dodge Charger for Saturday night’s thriller at Berlin Raceway. Sitting on the shores of Lake Macatawa and being downtown Holland’s only waterfront restaurant, Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant offers family friendly casual dining, waterfront views, indoor and outdoor dining, banquet facilities, catering services and a convenient full menu takeout.

We’re Not Only About Speed On The Track: For the first time since the team’s inception in 2007, Sheltra Motorsports will sport the decals of Speed Media as an associate marketing partner for this weekend’s contest. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Speed Media has handled the design and disbursement of the team’s hero cards, press kits, team logos and much more since the team’s full-time entrance into motorsports four years ago. Speed Media President Kurt Dietrich will be on-hand as a guest of the team for the Berlin ARCA 200.

Seat Time Doesn’t Hurt; Even For A Pro: Berlin Raceway officials opened up its legendary short track to the stars and cars of the ARCA Racing Series on Friday (August 6) for a two hour and twenty minute practice session divided into three portions. The session rolled off at 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., followed by a one hour effort from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., with a final twenty minute round scheduled from 8:00 p.m. – 8:20 p.m. ARCA was sharing the track with the local divisions of the Marne, Michigan track. The purpose of Friday event was to allow teams to gather a baseline setup for the 23rd ARCA event held at Berlin under the lights.

Action Heavy Off The Track For Sheltra Too: While the ARCA Racing Series is the beginning stages of a grueling 10-race schedule in 11 weeks, Sheltra has been very busy this week and will continue to be off the track. On Thursday night, Sheltra participated in a safety function for the city of Holland, Michigan where he discussed the safety of the ARCA Racing Series car with the media in addition to signing autographs for race fans and local residents who attended the festivity. This upcoming Tuesday (August 10) Sheltra will make a return trip to Cedar Point for “ARCA Day” in correspondence with the amusement parks “Wheels of Thunder” promotion. Sheltra and a number of his ARCA racing colleagues will sign autographs for the visitors beginning at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Talk About Diversity: Last weekend, Sheltra and his Jon Wolfe-led Sheltra Motorsports team tackled Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a 2.5-mile triangle. This weekend, the team heads to the smallest track on the circuit of Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, next weekend the series returns to New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) for the second road course event of the year and finally, Sheltra treks back to his roots of dirt with a stop for the ARCA Racing Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. Sheltra has recorded a top-10 finish at each of these racecourses since his invasion into the ARCA Racing Series in 2007. Pocono (Pa.) Raceway also kicked off the start of the Bill France Four Crown, which is a separate title in itself where the driver with the best average finish of all four race tracks will receive a bonus at the championship banquet in December.

Closing In On A Record: While eclipsing his fifth top-five finish of the year at Michigan International Speedway last month, Patrick Sheltra holds a new record for the number of finishes inside the top-five for a full-season. In his previous three full-time seasons, Sheltra had posted a season high of four top-five finishes in 2009. Sheltra’s personal best overall season of nine top-10 finishes in 2008 is on the verge of being collapsed with Sheltra already recording nine top-10s in 11 events in 2010. Sheltra is expected to set a new personal season stat record with nine races remaining this year.

Point’s Check: 11 races down, nine to go, Sheltra with the guidance of crew chief Jon Wolfe sits fifth in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings accumulating 2545 points and 130 markers behind current leader Justin Marks. The 24-year old Sheltra also controls the fifth position in the ARS car owner standings.

After the most recent ARCA event at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Sheltra slipped to fifth in the championship chase despite finishing sixth after Tom Hessert, who sits fourth finished two positions ahead of Sheltra. Earlier this year, Sheltra held the top-spot for three consecutive races (Toledo, Michigan and Pocono) in a row after also sharing the top-spot with Parker Kligerman for one race (Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway) in 2009.

Nice Stats: By posting his ninth top-10 finish of the season last weekend at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Sheltra is tied with only one other driver in the ARCA Racing Series driver to finish inside the top-10 in nine of the 11 races thus far in 2010. Justin Marks, the current’s points leader is the only other driver to post a similar stat. Sheltra kicked off his strongest start to an ARCA season with a fifth place performance at Daytona, a 10th place performance at Palm Beach, a fourth place run at Salem Speedway, a seventh place outing at Texas Motor Speedway, his season-best second at ‘Dega, an eighth at Toledo Speedway, a fourth place run at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a third place outing in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway and most recently a sixth place run in the Weis Markets 125 at Pocono for round number 11.

Patrick Sheltra ARCA Career At-A-Glance: Entering Berlin, Sheltra has 78 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem (Ind.) Speedway (April 2009). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 15 top-fives and posted 31 top-10 finishes. A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway (April 2009) and Michigan International Speedway (June 2010) is Sheltra’s best time trials effort to date. He has controlled the ARCA field six times for 148 laps.

Marketing Partnerships Still Available: Multiple cost-effective marketing partnership packages are still available for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR seasons for Patrick Sheltra. Let Sheltra Motorsports show you how to find victory lane in more ways than one! For additional information on how to be apart of our winning organization, please contact Brandon Hinson (brandon@patricksheltra.com) or email marketing@patricksheltra.com.

Are You In The Know?: Patrick Sheltra and Sheltra Motorsports are proud to be apart of the Facebook (Official Patrick Sheltra Fan Page) and Twitter (@patricksheltra) cravings. If you have an account, join our club as the Sheltra Motorsports team drives towards winning the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship.

Vote Him Your Favorite Driver: Race fans can vote Patrick Sheltra as the 2010 ARCA Racing Series most popular driver by visiting ARCANation.com. From now until the end of the season, race fans can click on to ARCA’s official fan-related web site and vote once a day for their favorite ARCA Racing Series driver. The winner will be announced at the ARCA Racing Series Championship Awards Banquet in Covington, Kentucky this December. If you’re an ARCA Nation member your vote counts twice per day for one driver. If you’re a non-ARCA Nation member, your vote counts only once. Sign up today at ARCANation.com and vote for Patrick Sheltra!

Patrick Sheltra

On Pocono (Pa.) Raceway: “Despite all that we had to battle at Pocono last weekend, I was satisfied. It had the potential to be another disastrous race but we really made the best of it. The race was a little too short but overall the comeback we made is what is keeping us alive in the championship chase. I’m proud of the Sheltra Motorsports team.”

On Berlin (Mich.) Raceway: “For a driver, it’s either a track you love or hate. I like the place. It’s flat, it requires you to be on your toes and requires some strategy. Track position is so crucial, so a good qualifying run is key to succeeding. You can get bumped around but you have to keep the fenders on to be a contender. Berlin is the place of my very first top-five finish of my career, so I always enjoy going to a track that holds sentimental value.”

On Berlin (Mich.) Raceway Friday Open Test: “Actually, the test went really good. We were able to try some things we probably would not have been able to tomorrow (Saturday). The car responded very well to the changes, especially on older tires, so I really am looking forward to tomorrow night’s race.”

On The Return Of Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant: “I cannot tell you what it means to us to have this awesome relationship continue with Boatwerks for this weekend. There commitment and loyalty to this team at Berlin represents their willingness to promote our team and ARCA in their backyard. Hopefully, we can have a good night and take them to victory lane.”

On Points: “Again, we’re down but no way near out. Rebounds like what we did last weekend at Pocono have kept us in the championship race. It’s really going to take one of the guys in the top-three to have some misfortune to allow someone like me and Tom (Hessert) to catch-up. Realistically, our deficit isn’t bad but we have to make up some ground soon, so in the final fives it won’t be races where you’re looking to make up the ground but positions on the race track.”

Sheltra Motorsports, Berlin Raceway Pre-Race Quotes: Jon Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 60 Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant / Speed Media Dodge Charger

On Berlin (Mich.) Raceway; A Unique Racetrack On The ARCA Racing Series Circuit: “I am personally not a big fan of Berlin. The track and most of pit road are very unsafe. I just hope the series puts on a good show , no one gets hurt and we can have a good night, maybe even win.”

On The Impressive Rebound At Pocono (Pa.) Raceway Last Weekend: “Patrick really pulled us out at Pocono, we got behind when we pitted under green and then the caution came out before the other leaders pitted. On top of that the guys did not have a great stop, and we broke first and second gear when leaving. He drove the wheels off of it to get back into the top-10, if the race had been the normal distance we could have been contending for the win.”

On The Team Participating In Some Open-Testing At Berlin (Mich.) Raceway On Friday Afternoon And The Advantages It Could Have Towards The Race On Saturday Night?: “With practice time very short on Saturday this should help us to make sure that we have a good baseline and also provide us an opportunity to try some things that we would not have time to do on race day.”

On What It Will Take To Win The Berlin ARCA 200: “As with most short tracks survival is one of the main keys. Also because Berlin is such a tricky little track, Patrick has to be very smooth and not overdrive the car.”

On If The Championship Is Still A Realistic Goal For Sheltra Motorsports?: “We are in no way shape or form out of contention for the championship, we are still working hard and will until the end. This has been our goal from the start, we are a little behind right now and I think that just pushes us harder.”

PRIOR RESULTS:

Patrick Sheltra, Berlin Raceway Prior ARCA Performance Record

Date Event Start Finish Laps Status

07/07 Request Foods-GFS 200 17 4 200 / 200 Running

07/08 Berlin ARCA RE/MAX 200 8 26 50 / 200 Overheating

07/09 Wolverine 200 10 14 206 / 207 Running

The Berlin ARCA 200 (200 laps / 88 miles) is the 12th of 20 events on the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule. The 23rd ARCA event held at the Marne, Michigan racetrack is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, August 7 with an hour and half practice session planned from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in from 6:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. The event will take the green flag that evening shortly after 8:30 p.m. The race will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the day will be available through the BAS Racing Network in conjunction with the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

Fast Links:

Driver / Team: Patrick Sheltra on the web: PatrickSheltra.com

Marketing Partner: Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant on the web: Boatwerksrestaurant.com

Marketing Partner: Speed Media on the web: Speed-media.com

Sanction: ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards: ARCARacing.com

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 24-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Mooresville, North Carolina.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Sheltra Motorsports

Race Information: Event: Prairie Meadows 200, Saturday, July 10 at 8:00 p.m. Local Time Track: Iowa Speedway Qualifying: Saturday, July 10 at 5:15 p.m. Local Time; Track Length: .875-mile paved-oval.

Last Time Out; Michigan International Speedway: Patrick Sheltra continued his 2010 ARCA Racing Series surge by posting a solid podium finish in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway on June 12. Returning to the two-mile oval after a successful test a month prior to the event, Sheltra and his Jon Wolfe led team felt that they had one of the contending cars for the eighth race of the season. After practicing in the top-five, Sheltra boasted a third place qualifying effort, a speedway best before utilizing the 100 lap event to keep his No. 60 Sheltra Motorsports Toyota Camry clean and cross the line third, securing his fifth top-five finish of the year and eighth consecutive top-10 in eight races run this year. The performance also accelerates past Sheltra’s best finish at Michigan International Speedway of sixth in 2008.

Returning To The Hawkeye State: Indiantown, Florida native Patrick Sheltra will make his fourth start at the relatively new Iowa Speedway Saturday night. Sheltra made his inaugural debut at the .875-mile short track in 2007 where he qualified 15th and finished 20th. In 2008, Sheltra started eighth and captured his first top-10 finish of the 2008 season by crossing the line ninth. Last year, Sheltra qualified 18th and rallied to finish 14th in his No. 60 Dodge Charger. Sheltra has been running at the finish of all three events.

Remembering A Friend And Racer: Patrick Sheltra and his Sheltra Motorsports team for the second consecutive year will remember and honor former ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards driver and 2008 Iowa Speedway winner Matt Hawkins who died from an accidental gun discharge in February 2009. Sheltra and Hawkins raced each other in several ARCA events including the 2008 Prairie Meadows 250 at Iowa Speedway, Hawkins lone ARCA victory in his inaugural series start. Sheltra Motorsports would like to thank the team’s graphic design company DMC Graphics (Philpot, Kentucky) for supplying the “In Memory of Matt Hawkins” decals for this weekend.

Happy Birthday Mama Grace: Co-Car Owner and Patrick Sheltra’s mother Grace Sheltra celebrated her 54th birthday on Thursday (July 8). Grace Sheltra is one of several female owners in the ARCA Racing Series and was the highest finishing female car owner in 2008. As one of the top-female car owners in the development series, she has one win, 15 top-fives and 30 top-10 finishes to her credit.

Welcome To The Team: Sheltra Motorsports welcomes Brandon Hinson of Hinson Sports Management (HSM) to the team as the Director of Marketing for the long-time ARCA team. Hinson, a long-time fixture in the Motorsports industry will oversee Sheltra’s current and future marketing partner platforms while also creating business-to-business relationships within the Sheltra Motorsports organization and its affiliates. He will also work side-by-side with Sheltra Motorsports’ Manager of Operations and Communications Chris Knight.

Moving Forward Again: For the sixth time in his ARCA career and fourth time this season, 24-year old Patrick Sheltra will pilot a Toyota Camry in Saturday night’s contest. Sheltra competed under the Japanese banner at Texas Motor Speedway in April where Sheltra revived himself from being collected in an early race incident to score a solid seventh place finish. Last month, Sheltra posted another top-five finish of the season by placing fourth at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Most recently, Sheltra maneuvered a impressive third place qualifying run and finishing position at Michigan International Speedway in the Racing for Wildlife 200 enabling the team to notch their eighth top-10 finish in a row this year. Last season under the guidance of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship organization Germain Racing, Sheltra hoisted a Camry at Michigan International Speedway and at the season-finale at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.

Point’s Check: Eight races down, 12 to go, Sheltra with the guidance of crew chief Jon Wolfe sits first in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings accumulating 1885 points and 35 markers ahead of second-place Justin Marks. Sheltra also holds a 75 point gap from third place competitor Mikey Kile. The 24-year old Sheltra also controls the first position in the ARS car owner standings. Sheltra leads his prospective positions in point’s solely on his own for the third consecutive race after sharing the top-spot with Parker Kligerman for one race (Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway) in 2009.

Nice Stats: By posting his eighth top-10 finish of the season at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) on June 11, Sheltra remains the only ARCA Racing Series driver to finish inside the top-10 in all eight races thus far in 2010. Sheltra kicked off his strongest start to an ARCA season with a fifth place performance at Daytona, a 10th place performance at Palm Beach, a fourth place run at Salem Speedway, a seventh place outing at Texas Motor Speedway, his season-best second at ‘Dega, an eighth at Toledo Speedway, a fourth place run at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and most recently a third place outing in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at MIS.

Closing In On A Record: While eclipsing his fifth top-five finish of the year at Michigan International Speedway last season, Patrick Sheltra holds a new record for the number of finishes inside the top-five for a full-season. In his previous three full-time seasons, Sheltra has posted a year high of four top-five finishes including in 2009. Sheltra personal best of nine top-10 finishes in 2008 is on the verge of being collapsed with Sheltra aiming for nine straight top-10s thus far in 2010. Sheltra is expected to set a new personal season stat record with 12 races remaining this year.

Autographs Anyone?: After his duties at the track on Friday, Sheltra is scheduled to spend his evening at the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino (Altoona, Iowa) participating in an autograph session from 7:00pm to 8:00pm local time.

Marketing Partnerships Still Available: Multiple cost-effective marketing partnership packages are still available for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series seasons for Patrick Sheltra. Let Sheltra Motorsports show you how to find victory lane in more ways than one! For additional information on how to be apart of our winning organization, please contact brandon@patricksheltra.com or marketing@patricksheltra.com.

Patrick Sheltra ARCA Career At-A-Glance: Entering Iowa, Sheltra has 75 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem (Ind.) Speedway (April 2009). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 15 top-fives and posted 30 top-10 finishes. A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway (April 2009) and Michigan International Speedway (June 2010) is Sheltra’s best time trials effort to date. He has controlled the ARCA field six times for 148 laps.

Are You In The Know?: Patrick Sheltra and Sheltra Motorsports are proud to be apart of the Facebook and Twitter cravings. If you have an account, join our club as the Sheltra Motorsports team drives towards winning the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship.

Vote Him Your Favorite Driver: Race fans can vote Patrick Sheltra as the 2010 ARCA Racing Series most popular driver by visiting ARCANation.com. From now until the end of the season, race fans can click on to ARCA’s official fan-related web site and vote once a day for their favorite ARCA Racing Series driver. The winner will be announced at the ARCA Racing Series Championship Awards Banquet in Covington, Kentucky this December. If you’re an ARCA Nation member your vote counts twice per day for one driver. If you’re a non-ARCA Nation member, your vote counts only once. Sign up today at ARCANation.com and vote for Patrick Sheltra!

Sheltra Motorsports, Iowa Speedway Pre-Race Quotes: Patrick Sheltra, driver / owner of the No. 60 Recycling Services / Ferguson Pipe Toyota Camry

On Michigan International Speedway: “We’re real proud of our performance at Michigan. Even though we weren’t able to win, we still produced another strong run which I feel continues to aid our team towards the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship. We’re knocking on the door of a win, it’s only a matter of time.”

On Iowa Speedway: “Iowa Speedway is a neat place. The track is super nice and provides some great racing. Handling and horsepower are key even though it’s a short track. Jon (Wolfe, crew chief) and I have a game plan for Saturday night and I feel we’ll keep our strong season alive on Saturday night.”

On Matt Hawkins: “You cannot come to Iowa Speedway and not think about Matt Hawkins. He was a good race car driver. He was someone you felt comfortable racing with and you always knew if you raced him clean, he would show you the same respect. He’s greatly missed here in ARCA but his memories live on at Iowa Speedway and all year long.”

On The Team’s Toyota Program In 2010: “It’s been a extreme pleasure to work with Triad and the Toyota folks this year. Every time we have a race with them, we learn something new. They know we’re in the thick for the championship and they are doing everything they possibly can to keep our No. 60 Sheltra Motorsports Toyota Camry out front.”

On Points: “It’s in our minds with every race we go to now. You cannot not help but think about it. We’re getting near the halfway point of the year and we have some promising races ahead for us. What we cannot afford to do is put ourselves in a position where we can put our season at risk and allow the other guys to steal our thunder. The guys on the Sheltra Motorsports team have gone above and beyond every race to give 150 percent and I don’t plan to give anything less than that behind the wheel.”

Sheltra Motorsports, Iowa Speedway Pre-Race Quotes: Jon Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 60 Recycling Services / Ferguson Pipe Toyota Camry

On Deciding To Take A Toyota Camry To Iowa Speedway; Rather Than A Dodge Charger: “We have started to transition our cars to Toyota, we are concentrating on the intermediate tracks. Iowa is kind of in between a short track and an intermediate, so with the speed and handling that it (Iowa) requires our Toyota was the right choice.”

On Deciding Not To Test At Iowa Speedway: “We debated hard over the decision to test at Iowa, and decided that we had a good set-up and Patrick has run there more than once. So we choose to work hard on our inventory for the other upcoming events as the schedule is getting ready to become very hectic.”

On The Keys To Succeeding At Iowa Speedway: “The track at Iowa is still pretty new so it holds a lot of grip in the surface, so the guys will be able to go hard in the beginning of a run. The team that will have the most success is the one who can go hard for the entire run on fuel and tires.”

On How Much Of A Difference Will It Be To Practice And Qualify In The Day But Race At Night At Iowa Speedway? “The difference between day and night is normally not a big deal, if your car is a little tight in the day it will get tighter at night. You just need to be smart about your adjustments.”

On Potentially Winning The Prairie Meadows 200 At Iowa Speedway: “There are so many variables when it comes to winning a race, so no one can predict a win. We’ve been consistent and in the hunt all season long, so those are some of the elements that it takes when it comes to winning. We do know that if we keep running up front a win will come soon.”

PRIOR RESULTS:

Date Event Start Finish Laps Status

06/07 Prairie Meadows 250 15 20 241/250 Running

04/08 Prairie Meadows 250 8 9 250/250 Running

07/09 Prairie Meadows 200 18 14 199/200 Running

The Prairie Meadows 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom (200 laps / 175 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule. The fifth ever ARCA race at Iowa Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, July 10 with an hour and thirty five minute practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. A final fifty minute session has been etched in from 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 5:15 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. The event will air live on SPEED. Additional race coverage including live timing and scoring and audio broadcasting throughout the day will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) presented by ARCA Nation online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Central).

Fast Links:

Driver / Team: Patrick Sheltra on the web: PatrickSheltra.com

Sanction: ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards: ARCARacing.com

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Bryan Silas

Silas, who turned 23 on Sunday, June 13 has always enjoyed the characteristics of MIS and after an aggressive performance last year, the Fast Track Racing (FTR) team owned by legendary car owner and former ARCA champion Andy Hillenburg had zero doubts that they could back-up their performance for a second year in a row.

The Concord, North Carolina team participated in a test at the two-mile oval two weeks ago and despite losing an engine in their No. 11 Rockingham Speedway / Palm Beach Grading Ford Fusion, the team returned to the track optimistic about Silas’s fourth run at the Irish Hills based track.

In practice, Silas propelled his Cal Boprey led organization to the 14th fastest time after turning a lap of 39.624 seconds or 181.708 miles per hour. The team wasn’t disappointed with their practice effort but felt like they still had some more speed to be found.

Silas and Boprey consulted following the lone practice session of the weekend, with Silas looking for a better drive off. After debriefing, Boprey and the FTR crew went to work with several changes to the team’s blue oval.

In qualifying, Silas maneuvered his FTR Ford around the speed plant in 39.448 seconds at 182.519 miles per hour, a solid pick-up from practice. After spending much of time trials locked inside the top-seven, by the end of qualifications, Silas slid down to 10th, marking the third time this year that the No. 11 has started a race inside the first five rows.

“We’re happy with our qualifying run,” said Silas. “Cal (Boprey, crew chief) said he was going to make some vigorous changes to our No. 11 Rockingham Speedway / Palm Beach Grading Ford and he definitely went in the right direction. I think if we can keep our nose clean and stay out of trouble, we’ll have a good finish.”

During the course of the Racing for Wildlife 200, Silas kept his machine solidly in the top-10. Flirting between seventh and 11th, the ARCA veteran kept his car out of trouble. Despite losing a lap under green flag pit stops and closing in on the final 25 laps of the 100-lap event, Silas was able to rebound from the untimely caution that soon waived to post a ninth place finish, the third of eight cars one lap off the pace.

“From our standpoint, it was a very quiet race,” sounded Silas. “We had a good car but didn’t have anything for those Toyotas up front. They were strong. Our car was pretty good. We had to make some slight adjustments during the race but when the yellow flag came out near the end, we were cooked. I’m proud of the team for their hard work. We finally had a good weekend and maybe this bad luck is behind us and we can make a surge back to the front in the championship and on the track.”

Nason, Yeager, Gerson, White & Lioce P.A., MTW Services, Inc., Palm Beach Grading (PBG) and Rockingham Speedway all sponsored Silas’s Ford Fusion for his 79th career ARCA start.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards is their annual trip to Iowa Speedway for the running of the Prairie Meadows 200 on Saturday, July 10. Silas will make his fifth try at the .875-mile paved oval hoping to improve on his track best of eighth scored in 2008.

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com.

Visit Fast Track Racing on the web at, FastTrackRacing.com.

- Fast Track Racing Press Release

Richard Childress Racing

Location: Road America

Richard Childress Racing

RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History … The NASCAR Nationwide Series makes its inaugural appearance at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, this weekend for the Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards, but road course racing enthusiasts are very familiar with the Nationwide Series as NASCAR’s No. 2 tour and, subsequently, Richard Childress Racing, have a long history of making left and right-hand turns.

In 26 previous road course attempts, RCR has three wins -with Jeff Purvis at Pikes Peak International Raceway on July 28, 2001 and with Kevin Harvick at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on August 4, 2007 and at Watkins Glen International on August 11, 2007.

Solid Performance … In addition to three wins, RCR has eight top-five and 17 top-ten finishes in NNS road course competition and has led 128 out of 2,033 laps.

Averages … RCR boasts an average start position of 12.4 and an average finish position of 12.7 among all NNS races the organization has contested, with an average start position of 15.7 and an average finish position of 9.8 in road course competition.

Twitter … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter page – @RCR21NNS. Follow Tim George Jr. on his official Twitter page – @TimGeorgeJr and follow RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing.

Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards will be televised live on Saturday, June 19, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on ESPN2 and live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Tim George Jr.

This Week’s RCR Chevrolet at Road America … Tim George Jr. will pilot chassis No. 072 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in this weekend’s Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards. This Chevrolet has raced on three previous occasions and has made two trips to Victory Lane, both with Kevin Harvick in 2007 at Watkins Glen and in Montreal. In 2008, Clint Bowyer finished 23rd after starting 17th with this chassis at Watkins Glen.

Back to his Roots … George has extensive road course racing experience in the Grand-Am Rolex GT Series, Grand-Am Koni Challenge Series and the Skip Barber R/T Formula Dodge Regional Race Series. In 2008, George was named the Grand-Am Rolex GT Series Rookie of the Year. The Grand-Am Rolex GT Series teams he drove for in 2008 and 2009 finished third and second, respectively, in those two years’ Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Transitional Years … Following several years of fulltime competition in the sports car ranks, George decided he wanted to give stock car racing a try. He made his first ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards start in 2008, competed in the series fulltime in 2009, and has spent the 2010 season completing his second year of fulltime ARCA competition, driving the No. 31 RCR Development Team Chevrolet. George has also made several asphalt late model starts for Team Dillon Racing this season.

Steady Progress … George has made steady progress driving for Richard Childress Racing in the ARCA Racing Series this year, finishing a career-high third after leading 12 laps at Talladega Superspeedway in April. He is currently ninth in the point standings with 12 races remaining in the 20-race series.

Familiar Course … George has one win and three podium finishes at Road America in the Skip Barber Racing Series. And, although this weekend’s Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards marks the New York, N.Y. native’s first NNS start, it is not his first road course start in a full-sized stock car. He has competed at both New Jersey Motorsports Park and Palm Beach International Raceway in the ARCA Racing Series.

Last Race Recap … Just one week ago, George was at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., where he finished eighth after starting 14th in the ARCA Racing Series’ Racing for Wildlife 200.

Meet the Driver … George will participate in a NNS autograph session on pit road at Road America on Friday, June 18, from 6:15-7:30 p.m. local time.

TIM GEORGE JR QUOTES:

You’re making your NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend at a track that you are very familiar with. What are your thoughts going into the weekend?

“It’s a great opportunity for me to debut in the Nationwide Series with RCR at a track I am familiar with. I have not been to the historic circuit in several years, but I have had success there in the past so I’m hoping that those past experiences will help me get up to speed quickly so that we can work on the setup right away.

The initial test day will be all about acclimating myself at the track in a much heavier and higher horsepower car than I’ve driven there previously. I’m looking forward to the challenge and to be racing in one of the top three series in NASCAR, with a great shot at doing well.”

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Chad Finley

After qualifying 18th Finley would start the 100-lap event on the 2.0 mile d-shaped paved oval from the outside of the ninth row within the 41-car field. Almost immediately, Finley steered his #29 Airlift / Auto Value Parts Stores and Certified Service Centers / AutoParts2020.com / Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) machine towards the front.

“It was great to race at MIS. We had a hot rod there at the end of the race. We were pretty loose most of the day until the last stop,” stated Finley after finishing seventh in the race. “We’ll take another Top 10 though and I can’t thank Auto Value and Airlift enough for there support for this race,” he added.

The next ARCA race on Finley’s calendar is tentatively set for Saturday July 31st back at the Pocono Raceway for the Weis Markets 125. Then another race close to home will be the Chicagoland ARCA 150 at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois on August 27th.

However, Finley does need help sponsorship wise; “Now we are working really hard to find some marketing partners. We would like to do some (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series races this year and still need some help with our ARCA program,” he explained.

“Auto Value has helped us a bunch, but they are only an associate sponsor for any other races we run with the exception of ARCA race at Chicagoland. Hopefully some one will step up and help me,” Finley ended.

In addition to Pocono and Chicagoland, plans also call for Finley to race the ARCA shows at Kansas Speedway (September 30th) and the 2010 season finale at Rockingham Speedway on October 9th.

Also in 2010, Finley will race in several events scheduled across the Midwestern United States, primarily in his home state of Michigan as well as Indiana and Ohio aboard his NorthsideTowing.net Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model.

- Chad Finley Racing Press Release

ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards

As at Pocono, the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway saw just two caution periods Friday. Pocono’s 200-miler was green for 68 of 80 laps; Michigan experienced an even higher rate of full racing, with 87 of 100 laps under the green flag.

The two cautions Friday were for a cut right front tire on Josh Richards’ No. 99 Ford, and for a spin from Chase Mattioli’s No. 17 Ford. The limited caution periods resulted in green flag pit stops at both events, once viewed as a rarity in the ARCA Racing Series.

“I think people are using their heads more, and it’s just better equipment than they’ve had in the past. Everybody’s racing smarter,” said Mikey Kile, winner of the Racing for Wildlife 200. “The ARCA Series has come a long way. The more races we have like this, the better the series is going to be, from an overall racing standpoint. Only two cautions today? It’s a major step forward for the series, for drivers and everybody.”

The low caution count is in a sharp contrast and shows a marked improvement when compared to earlier superspeedway races this season. The season opener at Daytona slowed for 36 laps on six cautions, while Texas was yellow eight times for 43 laps. Improvement began in late April, when the Talladega event produced just four cautions for 26 laps.

In 28 previous races at Michigan International Speedway, only two races had seen the yellow flag just twice.

Sealed with a Kiss: The Victory Lane celebration for Mikey Kile’s first career ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards win was filled with some very traditional elements: high-fives, a Gatorade bath, and the “Big Bill Kiss.”

Bill Venturini Sr., the team patriarch and a two-time ARCA Racing Series champion, planted a big, wet smack on Kile after he exited the No. 25 Sears Auto Center / DieHard Toyota. A national viewing audience witnessed the emotional embrace on SPEED, and “Big Bill” explained it soon after.

“Just like Andy Granatelli at Indy,” said the senior Venturini, “I kiss every one of my drivers who wins. Just like Andy Granatelli kissed Mario Andretti at Indy!”

Granatelli made his reputation as a car owner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning two Indy 500s – with Mario Andretti in 1969 and Gordon Johncock in 1973. When Andretti won – the driver’s only Indy 500 victory – Granatelli planted a big kiss on his cheek, much to photographers’ delight.

Kile Not a Full Rookie: Although 2010 marks Mikey Kile’s first season as a full-time driver in the ARCA Racing Series, the Louisiana native is not eligible for the RE/MAX Rookie of the Year title.

In Chevrolets fielded by Brad Keselowski Racing, Kile made 8 ARCA Racing Series starts in 2009, one more than the maximum allowed in a season while retaining rookie eligibility. One of those 8 starts in 2009 was at Michigan, where Kile finished sixth.

Another First-Time Winner: Mikey Kile’s first career ARCA Racing Series victory marked the seventh different winner in eight ARCA Racing Series events this year, and the sixth different first-time winner in 2010. 2010 winners include Bobby Gerhart (Daytona), Justin Marks (Palm Beach), Steve Arpin (Salem and Texas), Dakoda Armstrong (Talladega), Chris Buescher (Toledo), Craig Goess (Pocono), and Kile (Michigan). Marks, Arpin, Armstrong, Buescher, Goess and Kile were all first-time winners.

Large numbers of different winners are not uncommon in the ARCA Racing Series, nor are large numbers of first-time winners in a given season.

In 2007, 15 different drivers posted ARCA Racing Series victories in 22 total events, 10 of whom were first-time series winners, including James Buescher (USA International Speedway), Chad McCumbee (Nashville and Pocono), Scott Lagasse Jr. (Kansas), Billy Leslie (Winchester), Erik Darnell (Kentucky and Michigan), Ken Butler III (Toledo), Michael McDowell (Kentucky, Pocono, Chicagoland, and Toledo), Jeremy Clements (Nashville), Bryan Clauson (Gateway), and Michael Annett (Talladega).

Pole Award Sees Early Variety: Just as Victory Lane has welcomed seven different winners in eight ARCA Racing Series races this season, the Menards Pole Award Presented by Ansell has also been awarded to a variety of drivers.

In eight races in 2010, pole qualifying has taken place seven times, with the only outlier being for a weather cancellation at Texas in April. Seven different drivers have won in the seven qualifying sessions, with five of those drivers achieving their first career pole.

Casey Roderick (Palm Beach), Max Gresham (Salem), Dakoda Armstrong (Talladega), Mikey Kile (Pocono), and Craig Goess (Michigan) each became first-time top qualifiers, with James Buescher (Daytona) and Chris Buescher (Toledo) having each taken a second career pole this season.

Youth is served, as well. The two Bueschers, Roderick, Gresham, and Armstrong – five drivers in all – were all born in the 1990s.

Consistency Builds Champions: Patrick Sheltra has not been one of the seven winners in eight events in 2010. However, the Indiantown, Fla. driver has managed to earn top-10 finishes in every race so far this season. Sheltra, whose one career victory came at Salem in 2009, is leading the championship standings by 35 points over Justin Marks. Frank Kimmel (fifth in points), Tom Hessert (sixth), Tim George Jr. (ninth), and Robb Brent (10th) are also looking for their first win in 2010. Despite being 11th in championship points, second-year driver Joey Coulter could be considered a strong candidate to become the next first-time winner on tour, having earned runner-up runs at Toledo and Michigan already this season.

The ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards features 20 events at 17 tracks on its 2010 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 racetracks in 28 states since its inception. The series tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as left- and right-turn street and road courses.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release